I just got the original print of this one in. I love the image.
Lunch and a Cadillac
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Tag Archives: americana
The Diner at Tannersville
The diner at Tannersville was unfortunately closed when these pictures were taken. It’s nicely preserved and a rare model. It’s located in Tannersville, PA.
Diner Slides- 1976-1988
Some more from the archives, in no particular order.
Short Stop Diner, now Irene’s pupusas. Wheaton, MD
It’s a 1956 Kullman. The neon was nearly as big as the diner itself, but has since disappeared.
Then:
Now:
Diner- Front Royal, VA
It’s a 1956 Mountain View. Front Royal used to be a hotbed of diners. It had this one, Nick’s Good Food diner, the Do-nut dinette, and another ’50s stainless model. The other three have been knocked down, and this one’s now a used car dealer.
Now:
Frost Diner- Warrenton, VA
The Frost is a 1955 O’Mahony.
Inside
Counter
A sign of the times- Disco Fashion T-shirts
Pork Chop- $1.25, Fried Chicken $1.75
Tastee Diner- Silver Spring, MD
Tastee Diner- Laurel, MD
a rare Comac brand diner
Bud’s Broiler – New Orleans, LA
Bud’s Broiler
Allen Theater
Current Photos
Flower Theater
Current Photos
Summit Diner– Somerset, PA
Summit Diner
Moody’s Diner- Waldoboro, ME
Moody’s Diner
Diner- MA
Dinosaurland 1972-1973
I was sent these pictures of White Post Virginia’s Dinosaurland by reader Tommy Wilson. They were taken in 1972 or 1973.
“I grew up in northern virginia and my dad took me there when I was a kid (about 6 or 7 I recon) I had NO IDEA the place was still there!”
Aberdeen Eagle Diner- Aberdeen, Maryland
Exterior of the Aberdeen eagle. The corner stainless and the curved window are still visible, but that’s about it. Brick and a red mansard roof disguise the true nature of the diner.
Aberdeen Eagle- All baking done on premises. The sign states that they’re open 24 hours, something becoming rarer all the time.
The rooftop neon. Presumably original to the diner, and not added at the time of the remodel.
The interior. Very boxy- lots of hard corners, almost no curves, other than that of the counter and the scalloped edges by the menu-board. It’s leaning towards the more space-age and environmental designs yet to come, while still staying within the confines of a classic 1950s stainless model.
Spindly stools with octagonal bases. Also interesting to note the use of an entirely tile floor. With the design of this diner, I would have expected terrazzo, and not older style mosaic tile.
Blue is the overwhelming color.
You don’t see too many of this model diner; not many with interiors with this kind of styling. What I have been able to find says it’s a mid ’50s Kullman. I’ve seen Kullman dinettes with similar boxy interiors, but this is the only full-sized diner I’ve been to quite like this. It has been covered over, years ago, with tan brick, with a dining room on the right, making it less recognizable from the road, especially when compared with the New Ideal Diner, just half a mile down the road and across the street. Inside it is essentially in-tact.
Wolfe’s Diner – Dillsburg, PA
The outside of the diner. It appears as it did when new; a real time warp.
Bikers at the diner
The wonderful original neon sign. It still works. Hand painted signs advertise the $1.25 breakfast specials, Daily Specials and Lunch & Dinner.
The original neon sign over the entrance.
Jerry O’Mahony, Inc.
Dining Car Builders
Elizabeth, NJ
The incredibly clean and well preserved interior of the diner.
Sugar and Seeburg 200 Wall-o-matic. The 200 wall-matic was only made from 1955 to 1956, from what I’ve been able to find.
“P_ _ H”
Breakfast Specials (granted, this picture was taken three years ago or so, so prices have probably gone up) They were all ridiculously inexpensive, and what we had was excellent, and served in large portions.
#1 Two Extra large any style eggs, homefries, toast and jelly – $1.25
#2 Two Hotcakes and two strips of bacon – $1.95
#3 Cereal with milk and fruit juice – $1.25
#4 “Big Mess” – Three eggs, Homefries, onions, peppers and ham all mixed together, with toast – $3.95
Sausage Gravy and Biscuit – $2.50
Double order – $4.25
With Two eggs- $4.95
A row of stools, terrazzo and formica
Back-lit back painted Restrooms sign, inset into the stainless work
Ford pickup rusting out back in the parking lot of Wolfe’s
West Shore Diner- Lemoyne, PA
The West Shore Diner was built in the 1930s by the Patterson Vehicle Company of Patterson, New Jersey. It may be the only surviving Silk City diner with this narrow floor plan. It appears it may have originally been all stools, but that at some point, the back wall was bumped out. This moved the backbar out the back a bit, allowing the counter to be moved further back, freeing up space for some deuce booths on the outside wall. The ceiling is similar to other silk city diners, but as it is so much narrower, it is steeper on the sides, and does not have the elegant curve of later models. Dark woodwork, tile and formica make up most of the interior, while the exterior has been repainted time and time again. The West Shore shows its 70+ years of age, but is a unique example of early New Jersey diner manufacture. his is my go-to diner in the Harrisburg area, and one of the best I’ve been to. It is one of the friendliest around. The food is excellent, and comes in enormous portions at bargain prices. They have great t-shirts, too, which is always a plus. You can’t go wrong with a stop at the West Shore.
A more recent, more drab paint scheme.
Reader photos
I was sent these photos of Steffen’s Diner by its owner, Steffen Waber of Switzerland.
http://www.steffens-diningcar.com/
It’s a converted bus, similar to a lunch wagon in concept. From the photos, it looks to be popular to the biker crowd.
Frazer Diner- Frazer, PA
I was sent these pictures by my old man, who visited on Friday.
The Frazer diner is a 1935 O’Mahony, originally located in and named the Paoli diner. (Paoli is also the home of the Philadelphia curling club, where I’ve spent a lot of time). It was moved in 1957 to its current location, just down the road, in Frazer. It was renovated/restored in 2002.
A photo of it before the work was done, showing the old awnings, can be found at:
http://www.agilitynut.com/p/frazer.jpg
A photo of the old neon sign can be found at: The American Roadside
The Charcoal Pit- original location – North Wilmington
The Charcoal Pit Tradition dates back to September 1956 when it first opened its doors. The “Pit” – referred to by loyal customers, became such an instant success that only after three months from the grand opening, it was decided to build more room for its long line of hungry customers. The “Pit” went from a small four table and a counter burger joint to a 115 customer-seating establishment.
Curtis’ Famous Weiners
Yesterday, I hit up Curtis’ Coney Island Famous Weiners, a hot dog place located at 35 North Liberty Street Cumberland MD. It’s been around since 1918.
The outside. Faded Coke sign. Hand painted lettering.
Dogs in a row
Great signage. Look at the prices as well. You don’t see Cherry Smash or Chocolate Rickeys much; at least not where I live.
A good hot dog is a thing of beauty
Diner Hunter 
